Chapter 12
As he was not really required as a dance partner, and pleading a slight headache as an excuse, Jonathan retired to the library with a brandy and a book. Since the visit would soon be coming to a close, he was glad to be relieved of social duties for one evening at least. It would be a nice change to have a little solitary relaxation before the busyness of his aunt’s home and then the return to his own laborious existence, where evenings were only for eating and sleeping after working outside all day.
Despite these good intentions, he felt unsettled as he tried to concentrate on his reading. He kept reading the same passage again and again and forgetting to sip his brandy, which was nicely warmed by the fire. He was not tired, just oddly restless in a way he could not fathom. As he did his best to focus on his book, he heard the door open and was relieved, rather than irritated, to be interrupted in his increasingly fruitless task.